Black people and Mormonism
Videos
During the history of the Latter Day Saint movement, the relationship between Black people and Mormonism has included enslavement, exclusion and inclusion, and official and unofficial discrimination.
Mormonism's founder, Joseph Smith, expressed a range of views about Black people throughout his life.
Elijah Abel was an early LDS priesthood leader in the quorum of the seventy.
Noah cursing Ham. Smith and Young taught that Black people had the curse of Ham and the curse of Cain.
Biddy Mason was one of 14 Black people who sued for their freedom after being illegally held captive by white Mormons in San Bernardino, California.
Blood atonement
Videos
Blood atonement was a practice in the history of Mormonism still adhered to by some fundamentalist splinter groups, under which the atonement of Jesus does not redeem an eternal sin. To atone for an e
Joseph Smith did not teach blood atonement, but taught a "blood for blood" law of God's retribution, stating that if he could enact a death penalty law, "I am opposed to hanging, even if a man kill another, I will shoot him, or cut off his head, spill his blood on the ground and let the smoke ascend thereof up to God ..."
The execution chamber in Utah State Prison. The platform to the left is used for lethal injection. The metal chair to the right is used for execution by firing squad.